Publishing PDFs from DITA Benefits and Limitations of XSL‐FO Benefits Introduction Low entry cost XSL‐FO is an XML language Scott Prentice, President of Leximation, Inc. FO markup language is largely based on CSS Specializing in FrameMaker plugin development as well as Designed to work for all written human languages structured FrameMaker conversions, consulting, and development. FrameMaker user/developer since 1991. Limitations Developed DITA‐FMx, a FrameMaker plugin for efficient XSL‐FO coding is expensive and complicated DITA authoring and publishing. Tables that span pages may not break as expected Developer of custom Help systems and creative/functional No way to render elements on one page in relation to web applications. another page Coined the term “A I R Help” in 2007 after learning about Difficult to apply balanced vertical spacing on a page Adobe’s new AIR technology. Processors may use extensions to implement features, so the Interested in creating innovative ways to provide user FO stylesheets may not be portable between processors assistance that is actually used. Apache FOP What is DITA (briefly) Open Source / Free DITA ‐ Darwin Information Typing Architecture Java application, runs on ʺanyʺ platform An XML format for authoring in a topic oriented structure Default PDF output option provided with the DITA‐OT Highly reusable and modular Rendering engine uses XSL‐FO DITA topics can be easily rearranged and reused for Requires XSL‐FO developer to maintain stylesheets different deliverable types Supports popular raster and vector graphic formats, + SVG Filtering/conditionalizing based on attributes Can be automated/scripted Tagging is applied in a semantic manner rather than to http://xmlgraphics.apache.org/fop/ achieve specific formatting Renderex XEP Publishing from DITA $360 standalone, $4400 server Content authored in DITA can be easily published to Java application, runs on ʺanyʺ platform various output formats with the DITA Open Toolkit DITA processing through the DITA‐OT The DITA OT makes it very easy to experiment with various Rendering engine uses XSL‐FO output types, but it is really just the starting point Requires XSL‐FO developer to maintain stylesheets Other tools are available for publishing from DITA, which Renderex Visual XSL ‐ GUI for generating XSL‐FO can make the process easier that the OT, but you end up stylesheets for forms‐based output relying on proprietary tools Supports popular raster and vector graphic formats, + SVG Producing PDFs from DITA requires a bit of analysis and Can be automated/scripted some hard work http://www.renderx.com/tools/xep.html Popular DITA to PDF Publishing Tools Antenna House Formatter XSL‐FO processors: $1250 standalone, $5000 server Apache FOP “Lite” (under 300 pages) $400 standalone, $2000 server Renderex XEP Java application, runs on ʺanyʺ platform Antenna House Formatter DITA processing through the DITA‐OT Quadralay ePublisher Rendering engine uses XSL‐FO and CSS Requires XSL‐FO developer to maintain stylesheets Proprietary rendering engines: Supports popular raster and vector graphic formats, + SVG SDL XPP Supports MathML DITA Exchange OpenXML Publishing GUI supports over 50 languages MadCap Blaze/Flare Can be automated/scripted Adobe FrameMaker / Leximation DITA‐FMx http://www.antennahouse.com/product.htm What about XSL‐FO? Quadralay ePublisher XSL‐FO (XSL Formatting Objects) is a markup language for $1999 perpetual, $795 one year subscription formatting XML documents Windows only Typically used for generating PDFs Processes DITA, FrameMaker, and Word documents Part of the W3C’s XSL specification (also XSLT and XPath) PDF rendering engine uses XSL‐FO Typical workflow for converting XML to PDF using FO: Uses Apache FOP as the default formatting engine, but •User writes content in XML other processors can be used •XSLT transformation generates the XSL‐FO Provides GUI for creating FO stylesheets •XSL‐FO is passed to the FO processor to generate PDF Converts DITA, FM, and DOC to WIF, then to PDF via FO Exports other online formats: HTML, Wiki, Help, ePub Automated publishing requires Automap http://www.webworks.com
STC NorthBay 2010 Publishing PDFs from DITA – Page 1 of 2 Scott Prentice, Leximation, Inc. Other FO Processors Adobe FrameMaker + Leximation DITA‐FMx Lunasil Xinc FrameMaker (versions 7.2, 8, or 9) + $185 Java‐based processor Windows only $95 developer, $495 server Proprietary layout/formatting through template and EDD http://www.lunasil.com/ (website last updated in 2005?) Native PDF export or through Adobe Distiller Altsoft Xml2PDF Automated publishing with Auto DITA‐FMx Windows application (.NET‐based application) Standard DITA‐FMx “build” process: $55 workstation, $1495 server, plus other options • Develop templates and EDDs http://www.alt‐soft.com/ •Configure for automated creation of generated lists (toc, PTC Arbortext Publishing Engine + Arbortext Styler index, etc.) and component formatting / properties Java‐based server application • Save DITA map to FM book and chapter files, then save Enterprise publishing solution to PDF http://www.ptc.com/products/arbortext/publishing‐engine/ http://leximation.com/dita‐fmx/ SDL XPP FrameMaker is Ideal for High Quality PDF Output $50K to over $200K depending on options Windows, Solaris, and Linux platforms Relatively easy to define the layout and formatting Rendering engine uses proprietary formatting language to Easy to make minor adjustments when needed support high quality layout and typography needs Ability to modify the pagination/formatting after Provides hyphenation and justification in over 30 languages composition but before PDF creation including Chinese, Korean and Japanese Likely to have in‐house expertise XyView client creates layout and formatting templates Easily set up templates for multiple languages Full editing of composed output through XyView client Likely to be less expensive in the long run Typically automated but can be run interactively Can use FrameMaker for PDF generation even if youʹre http://www.sdl.com/en/xml/products/sdl‐xpp/ using another tool for DITA authoring Save time and ensure consistent output with DITA‐FMx DITA Exchange OpenXML Publishing Choosing the Right Tool Pricing not finalized Windows only Determine your PDF needs Uses proprietary process to convert DITA to OpenXML Online and/or print PDF deliverable? OpenXML is opened in Word (2007 or 2010) and specified One layout or many? template is applied for formatting Frequent changes to formatting/layout? Client application available for interactive conversions Possibly want to make minor adjustments to the output? Server‐based processing via SharePoint enables workflow, High quality typographic requirements? document reviews, digital signatures, etc. Large output volume? Input can be a mix of DITA and DOC files Assess your available resources Also exports to PowerPoint, one slide per topic Do you have an XSL‐FO developer on staff? http://dita‐exchange.com/ Do you have in‐house expertise with FM template/EDD development? MadCap Blaze/Flare Available contract developers? $699 Blaze, $999 Flare Windows only Wrap Up Imports DITA, FrameMaker, Word, and other formats Resources: Exports to PDF and numerous other online formats http://gilbane.com/gilbane_report.pl/94/ Uses proprietary PDF rendering engine XSLFO_Ready_for_Prime_Time.html Provides GUI for defining layout/formatting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XSL_Formatting_Objects Automated publishing via a command line interface http://www.sagehill.net/docbookxsl/FOprocessors.html http://www.madcapsoftware.com/products/flare/ Questions? Scott Prentice
STC NorthBay 2010 Publishing PDFs from DITA – Page 2 of 2 Scott Prentice, Leximation, Inc.